Washing-machine.



G. G. LAMB.

' WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.14, 191s.

Patented June 16, 1914.

G. G. LAMB.

WASHING MAQE1INE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, 1913.

Patented June 16, 1914.

3 SHEETS-BHBET 2.

55/ o-0&2, A W

0. 0. LAMB.

' WASHING MAQHINE. APPLICATION FILED Army, 1913.

Patehted June 16,1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

an STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES CALVERT LAMB, OF CHJ ICA'GO, ILLINOIS.

1 ,o9 9,9s5. Specification of -Applicationnled April 14,

iiil o-cll whomtt may concern i Be it known that I, Crtaramss 'CALVERT Larvae citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ohicago, in the county of Cook 7 and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing- 'Mach-ines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompa-nying drawings, and to the lettersgof reference marked thereon, -which "form' a epa'rt of thisspecification.

, Thisinventidn relates to washing mm the articles to be cleansed areinserted'with the cleansing Waterjn a closed tub or recepr tacle, which is given rotativel n/ovement dini-ng theicleansing operation; washing machine embodying the-prim cip'a l features 'ofmy invention embraces a -tub 'or receptacle, which is completely closed While in use, but which is provided with a door for the insertion and removalpfr-the' cleansed. Such tub'or receptacle is so sup- 1 ported or mounted that-it maybe turned or; rotated about an axis of rotation extending transversely thereof. Said tub or recepi l l e, embraces or includes in its construction, circular, rotativehead members, adapted to; turn or rotate about an axis of rotation at right angles t0 the axis of rotation of the; receptacle itself, and the inner faces of! which form the end walls of the 'interiori space of the receptacle, in which are con-1 ta-ined the articles to be cleansed and ll-1e? water. Both the tab or receptacle and the head-members are turned or rotated during the operation of the machine; the receptacle being rotated'on its transverse axis and the headsbeing turned in opposite directions about their own axes. As a resnltof these features of constrnctiomi-n the'loperation of the machine, the receptacle is reversed in positiom'aflach rotation thereof, .first one andthe n thefgil er o f'it-s head-members being hrought upwardly, with the result that the contained water and articles are carried, o'r-fall by gravity, in a direction transverse tojth'e axis of rotation of the receptacle, twice v during each complete rotation of the rcccp taclefan'd as they descend toward or in contact with first on'e md then theother of the rdtative head 'menibers, are given rotary mo tion, alternatlyiin opposite directions. Y Alwashing maehineembodyingmy invcn chines of that class in which the clothes 9r.

cleansing water and the articles to be;-

WASHING-MAQHiNE.

Letters Patented June 16, 1914.

1912. Serial No. 760,855.

t-io-n also embraces other novel area-titres, of construction, as shown in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter described.

My invention consists in the matters here-- inafiter set forth and pointed out in the appended claims. c

As shown in the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation-of a washing machine embodying one practical 5 Hform'of ny invent-ion; 2 is a'view end elevation of the parts shown in F l with the base port-ion of the supporting frame omitted Fig. 3'is 'a' plan view of the machine, with a part of the receptacle in longitudinal section; Fig.4 is a transverse vertical section, taken on line 44 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a View of thereceptacle of the machine, with one-end thereof in longitudinal section, showing a different construction in the rota-tire head-member thereof; Fig. 6 is an enlarged, detail, sectional view of "the joint between the body and head of the receptacle, when anade as shown in Fig. 5.

a As shown in said drawings, the frame of 'the machine embraces two upright, parallel, side frame members 5, 6, which are connected with each othenbyrhorizontal cross nmembersifityand 'areattaich'ed to ashorizo'ntally disposed baseframe consisting of side members 8, =9, which are joined at their ends by horizontal .cross members '10, 10. The tub or receptacle of the machine, within which are placed the cleansing water and the clothes or other articles to be cleansed, consists of an elongated closed receptacle 12, which is circular in cross-sectional form, and provided in its side wall with a hinged door 13 which is normally-closed, but which maybe opened fonthe insertion and removal of water and -the articles to be cleansed. Said door 13 is shown as provided with a inarginal'gasket 13rso as to prevent leakage In the preferred construction of-"the 'ceptacle il ustra-ted, the same is made than at its middle part, and is ccnvexly. rounded at its ends tapering from its larger central part. toward its rounded ends.- Assiderably smaller in diameter at its ends preferably constrpcted', said receptacle, is made of sheet metal, circumferentially corrugated inits main part, and the trunnion- 14 and 15 are secured to themetal wall or shell of the receptacle by means of disks- 14. 15*, on the trunnion's, secured byrivets to the wall of the receptacle, as clearly seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

At each end of'the receptacle 12 is lo, cated a circular head member 16, which is adapted to turn or rotate on an axis of rotation coinciding with the central longitudinal axis of the receptacle, and the inner face of which forms one end wall of the interior space of the receptacle, within which the articles to be cleansed are held during the cleansin operation. As shown in Figs. 1-to4, said h inside of the end wall 12".'of the receptacle, and has its annular margin arranged closely adjacent to an interior annular surface 12 of the receptacle,- so that no opening or space will be left within which. articles Of clothing or the like, may enter or be caught.

in the rotation of the head member. Moreover, the liner surface of said head member 16 is made of concaveform and 1S preferably'providczd with radial ribs or corrugations. To afford rotative supportfor'the' head member, arranged-as described, upon the end wall 12 of therec'epta'cle, said head member is attached to'a' shaft 17"which passes through a bearing aperture in a bean ing block 18 secured to the said wall 12- said shaft 1.7 extending outwardly beyon the said bearing block .18 and being pro vided at its outer end with the gear pinion 19 through the medium of which rotary motion is given to said shaft and to the head-member 16.

In order to prevent the escape of water between the shaft 17 and the bearing block 18 and to enable these parts to be easily assembled, these parts are made as follows: 'Said bearing block 18 has'its outer end portion made of cylindric'form and exteriorly screw-thrcaded, and a cap member 18 apcrtured for the passage of the outer end of the shaft 17,.is provided with internal screw threads engaging those on said block 18. Applied to the said Shaft 17 and secured thereto by a cotter p' or like means. is an apertured disk or cd l lar 17 arranged to occupy the annular space between the outer. end of the block 18 and the inner face of the cap 18. Said collar 17 serves both to hold the shaft 17 from endwise movement, and also, by its close fitting contact with the parts between which it is placed, serves Said shaft 17 is shat; and its bearing.

cad member is located actuating mechanism for secured at its inner end to a disk or plate 17", which is'secured by rivets or otherwise to the head member 16, which latter is shown as made of sheet metal and as condieting of closely spaced inner and outer walls. I

In the operation of the washin machine embracing the features describe the re ceptacle 12 is continuously turned or rotated on its transverse, horizontal axis of rotation, while the heads 16, 16 are also continuously rotated. Thet'wo heads 16, 16

at opposite ends of the receptacle, are,

moreover, not onlyrotated relatively to the receptacle, but are also rotated. in opposite directions with-respect to each other. The

result-of these-features of construction in the receptacle is thatin the operation of the machine, first one end and then the other.

end, of thefreceptacle is carried upwardly as water and the articles withinthe receptacle are caused to drop or fall by gravity from the rising to the descending end of the reoeptac'le. Moreover, the water and the ar' ticles, as the j descend, are brought into con- '85 the' receptacle revolves so that the cleansing tract with t e rotating head member 16% Y which is a'tnan time at the-lowerend o the. receptacle, a d are by the action of such 1 head member, iven rotative or swirling movement tending to agitate and efiect thoroughicleansing-of the articles. Furthermore, y reason of the opposite rotary motion given to the heyd members, the rotative or swirlinglnotion given to the water, and the articles will be alternately in reverse directions, as such water and articles are brought alternately into contact with one revolving head and then the other, so as to more thoroughly agitate the articles and move them through or relatively to the water;

.Themachine illustrated is provided with iving rotary motion to the receptacle itself, and to the head members 16, 16, relatively to the receptacle, as follows: Rigidly secured to the trunnion 1.4 exterior to its bearing 14" is a gear wheel 20, which meshes with a gear pinion Ell mounted on a stub shaft 22, which is affixed to the frame member 5 and projects beyond the outer face of the same. Rigidly attached to and turning with the gear pinion 21 is a gear wheel 23. -Said gear wheel 23 forms one member of a worm gear, the other member of which consists of a cylinder 2 1 provided witha spiral rib or worm and secured to a horizontal shaft 25, which is driven by a motor 26. Said motor may be an electric motor and is shown as mounted on the base frame member 8 of the machine. Located at the inner face of an'd rigidly secured to the frame member 5, concentrirally with the shaft or trunnion 14 ,1s .a

beveled gear wheel 50. Said gear Wheel. 30

is shown as provided with arigidly attached,- outwardly extending sleeve which isinserted and held in the bearing 14* on the frame 5. A set screw 30, or like s'means, may be employed to hold the sleeve 30 fromturning in said hearing. In this construction, the shaft 14 does not directly engage the bearing 14*, but turns in thebearing recessesformed in oppositely extending hubs 33, 33', which are secured to, and preferably made integral with, said shaftor 3r trunnion 114, At their outer ends saidshafts @3 1, 31 pass through bearing sle'eves 34,34, which arerigidl'y connectedwith the end pgrtions of'the receptacle 12. by bracket arms 35, Mounted on the ends of the recepas taele and'extending at right angles to the central, longitudinal axis of said receptacle arerotative-shafts 36, 36, provided with rigidly attached, beveled :gear pinions 37, 37. "YSaid 'gear-pinions 37, 37 intermesh with the 3 geai pinionsl9,19, that are connected with the rotative head-thembersldltl, as hereinbefore described. The longitudinal shafts -31,,3'1 are provided at their outer ends with beveled gear wheels 38," 38, arranged to in- 35 termesh with corresponding beveled. gear Ii 1681539, 39- secured to the adjacent ends I of the transverse shafts 3.6, 36. Said transverse shafts 36, 36 are mounted in bearing sleeves 40, which are supported from the 4 wall: or shell of the receptacle l2, by'*means of bracketarms 41, As preferably con- "'structed; the bracket arms 41 and '35 are made integral with each. other and with attaehing plates 42, 42, which are secured by 45 rivets to the end walls 12 12- of the said receptacle.

In-- the' operation of the parts described, the rotary motion communicated by the motor 26 to the driving shaft 25 is transmitted ,bythe' worm cylinder 24, the worm wheel 23, I the gear pinion 21 aud gear wheel 20, to the shaft or trunnion 14 of the receptacle l2, and

" T said receptacle is thereby given a rotary moti on on itstransverse axis. As the receptacle rotates, carrying with it the'shafts 31 and 36, thepinions 32, by their engagement with "the fixed gear wheel 30, areg'iven rotation in opposite directions, and the said shafts 31, 3]. are thereby oppositely turned or rotated.

he The rotary motion of said shafts 31 is transmitted by the gears 38 and 39to the transverse shafts 36, and the rotary motion of the latter shafts is transmitted to the beveled gears 19, 19, so that the rota-tive head mem- 45 bars-16, 16 are constantly turned in opposite 'ceptaele 12'; a In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a somewhat directions during the rotation of thesaid r'edifferent form: of construction in the receptacle 12, wherein the end walls 12, "12 are omitted, and the rotative head-members have bearing engagement at their annular margins with the adjacent end of the body por-- 'tion of the receptacleand'constitutc the end walls of the same.' In this instance, the 'ce'ntral body portion 44 of the-receptacle is provided'at its ends with rotatii e head members '45, 45, which .form with the body portion the complete receptacle. The said body mem'ber is provided at each end'margin with so an annular bearing member or ring 46, with which a like annular bearing member or ring 47 on the margin of the head member 45 has bearing engagement. The bearing member 47 is provided with an outwardly extending, annular rib 47*, which enters or engages an inwardly facing annulargroove, formed by or between the end face of said ring 46' and a flanged 'ring 46, secured to said ring 46. This construction provides a connection between the head nfiber 45 and the body 44, by which the head member is held upon and permitted to rotate relatively to the body, while atthe same time, ja'joint is provided between'these two parts, adapted to prevent the escape of water from the interior ofthe receptacle. -The ring 46 is so made that it may be slipped over the rings 46 and 47, when the-latter are placed in contact with each other; said ring 46 being attached' to the ring 46 by screws or the like. In the construction shown in said Figs. 5 and G, the head member'45 is' driven or rotated in the same manner and'with the same result as hcreinbefore described in connectionwith the form of receptacle shown in Figs. 1 to 4. Moreover, the driving means employed for giving motionto the head member 45 is the same asthat hereinbefore described the beveled gear pinion 19, in this instance, being secured directly to the outer face of the said head member 45. e As shown in the accompanying drawings, a clothes wringer attachment for the-washing machine described is provided, thesa'me having the usual wringer rolls 5\), 51. Said rolls are moimted-inja wringer frame 52, which is mounted on a supporting bracket 53 secured to the outer face of'theframe'upright 6. The shafts of the rollers 50 and 51 are provided with the usual intermeshing gear wheels 54, '55, 'andthe 'sl1aft 0f the lower roller 51 is arraugedsinj aXialX alinement with the bearing shaft or trunnion 15 of the receptacle 12. Aclutch connection is 125 provided between said trunnion 15 and the shaft of the lower roller,'cornprising a movable clutch member 56 having sliding connection with the trunnion l5-and held from rotation thereon by a spline (not like means. Said clutch member is adapted to engage a clutch-disk 57, rigidly secured to the shaft of said lower roller 51; the clutch member and clutch diskbeing pro- 5 vided with clutch teeth and notches,'adapted for interlockingengagemnt, in the usual manner. A han lever 58, pivoted to a bracket arm 59 on the frame 6, 'is adapted to engage the shifting clutch member 56 to move thesame into and out of engagement with the clutch disk 57.

By the construction and arrangement of the clothes wringer described, the sameis driven directly from the rotative shaft or trunnion, of the receptacle 12 and a simple and inexpensive construction in the wringer attachment is thereby provided.

It is to be understood that a washing machine embodying the several features of my invention may be variously constructed so far as the form and details of the parts are concerned, and I do not, therefore, desire to be limited to the specific features of con struction illustrated in the accompanying drawings except so far as the same are hercin claimed as part of my invention.

I claim as my invention: I

1. A washing machine, comprising a closed receptacle, mounted to turn on a horizontal axis, extending transversely thereof between its ends, and a circular, rotative head member, the inner face of which forms an end wall of the interior space of the receptacle, said head member being mounted 3'5 to turn about the central longitudinal axis of the receptacle, and means for giving rotary motion tosaid receptacle and to the said head member relatively to the receptacle.

2. A washing machine comprising a closed receptacle, circular incross sectional form, mounted to turn on a horizontal axis trans verse to its longitudinal axis, and two circular, -rotative head members, the inner faces of which form the end walls of the interior space of the receptacle, said head members being mounted to turn about the central longitudinal axis of the receptacle.

3. A washing machine, comprising a closed receptacle, circular in cross-sectional form, mounted to turn on a horizontal axis transverse to its longitudinal axis, two circular, rotative head members, the inner faces of which form the end walls of the interior space of the receptacle, said head members being mounted to turn about the central longitudinal axis of the receptacle, means for giving rotary motion to said re ceptacle, and means for giving rotary motion to the said head members, relatively to the receptacle, in opposite directions relatively to each other.

4. A washing machine, comprising a closed receptacle, mounted to turn on a transverse, horizontal axis, two circular bers being of concave form.

head members, each mounted on one end of the receptacle and .adapted to turn, relatively to the receptacle, about the central, longitudinal axis of said receptacle, the annular margins of said head members being located adjacent to correspondin annular surfaces of the receptacle, and the inner surfaces of said head members and the inner surfaces of the receptacle between the same, forming the interior walls of the rece tacle, in which the water and articles to bee eaned are contained.

5. A washing machine, comprising -a closed receptacle, mounted to turn on a transverse, horizontal axis, two circular head members,,ea'ch mounted on one end of the receptacle and adapted to turn, relatively to the receptacle, about the central, longitudinal axis of said receptacle, the annular margins of said head members being located adjacent to corresponding annular surfaces of the receptacle, and the inner sur-v faces of said heads and the inner surfaces of the receptacle between the same, forming the interior walls of the receptacle, in which the water and articles to be cleaned are contained, said inner faces of the head mem- 6. A washing machine comprising a closed receptacle, mounted to turn on an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said receptacle and embracing in its construction a body member and a head mem her, said head member being mounted to turn about an axis transverse to the axis of rotation of said receptacle, and means permitting rotative motion of the head mafia", bcrs relatively to the body member.-

7 A washing machine comprisi closed receptacle, circular in cross-sec? form, two circular, rotative head members mounted on'said receptacle at opposite ends of the same, a supporting. frame, journals attached to the opposite sides of saidres ceptacle intermediate its ends and having bearing in said frame, driving means acting on one of said journals 'to give rotative movement to the receptacle, and means aeting to give rotary motion in opposite directions to said head members snnriianeously with the rotary motion of said receptacle.

8. A washing machine comprising a supporting frame, and an elongated receptacle, circular in cross sectional form, mounted on said frame to turn on a transverse, horizontal axis, said'receptacle being provided with circular head members, adapted to rotate about the central, longltudinal axis of the receptacle, said head members being vexly rounded and the Side wall of the w ceptacle between said head members being rounded and tapered from the center toward the ends of the receptacle.

9. A washing machine comprising a 1'0- tatively mounted closed receptacle, emhllcing in its construction ,two' oppositely disposed head-members adapted for rotation on an axis transverse to the axle of rotation of the receptacle.

- members adapted tor ceptacle, means 10. A washing machine comprising a 1'0- tative, closed receptacle, embracing in its construction a head member adapted for rotation on an axis transverse simultaneously 1n opposite directions.

12, A washing machine comprising a frame having two lateral frame members, a

rotative receptacle mounted between said frame members and provided at its opposite sides with horizontal, oppositely extending trunnions having bearing in said -frame members, said receptacle embracing in its construction two rotative head members which turn on an axis of rotation transverse to the axis of rotation of the receptacle, and means for actuating said head members, embracing a fixed gear wheel on one of said frame members, and gearing carried by said receptacle, and embracing a gear pinion intermeshing with said fixed gear wheel.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 26th day of March A. D. 1913.

CHARLES CALVERT LAMB.

Witnesses:

EUGENE C. WVANN, CHARLES H. Poonn. 

